Sectional demountable steam generator



March 18, 1952 c. E. BISHOP SECTIONAL DEMOUNTABLE STEAM GENERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 51, 1948 immulvul mmilunnllunllnn March 18, 1952 c. E. BISHOP 2,589,218

SECTIQNAL DEMOUNTABLE STEAM GENERATOR Filed Aug. 3l, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 18, 1952 c, E. BlsHLoP SECTIONAL DEMOUNTABLE STEAM GENERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 3l, 1948 FTF j la 45 f4 Patented Mar. 18, 1952 OFFICE SECTIONAL DEMOUN TABLE STEAM GENERATOR Carl E. Bishop, Carlisle, Iowa.

Application August 31,1948, Serial No. 47,030

This invention relates to a sectional demountable generator adaptable for all uses where the generation of steam is desirable.

One object of the invention is to provide a steam generator which is non-explosive yet has large capacity for its size and is capable of delivering high-temperature high-pressure steam having a maximum of dryness.

Another object is to provide a steam generator that can be dismantled and cleaned out by the layman who can readily replace duplicate parts without dismantling the generator, and with little or no loss of its use.

Still another object is to provide a generator which is so constructed as to produce steam in a minimum of time and produce it efficiently so that a small generator is capable of delivering a greater volume of steam than the conventional K type of steam boiler many times its size.

A further object is to provide a steam generator constructed in sections so that all sections are readily demountable with respect to the others, high-pressure unions or similar joints being used throughout and the generator being thereby capable of shipment in sections for ready installation in buildings having narrow doors or openings, the parts when once introduced into the building being capable of assembly in a minimum of time.

Still a further vobject is to provide a steam generator in which the steam generating section is readily accessible after the housing for the generator is installed around the assembled generator, and is easily demountable for replacement or removal to a position where the lime can be readily cleaned out of the generator section, the removal and replacement of the steam generator section involving only Vthe disconnection and reconnection of four unions whichv are accessible through a removable panel of the housing.

An additional object is to provide a generator in which rapid circulation of steam is possible and relatively fast generation of dry steam occurs due to the arrangement of elements of the generator. Y

A further additional object is to provide an -arrangement of water containing elements, steam containing elements and baffle plates so positioned as to retard the ow of the products of combustion and extract from them the maximum amount of heat before they are finally discharged into the chimney and from there to atmosphere.

With the foregoing objects in view, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention inthe accompanying drawings which are not in- 6 claims. (el. 122-209) tended to be exhaustive and are not to be taken as limiting of the invention but on the contrary are chosen with a View to illustrating my invention so that others skilled in the art may apply the invention under varying conditions of practical use and may make such modifications and changes therein as such conditions may make desirable without, however, departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical end View of my steam generator with a portion of the housing .therefor broken away and another portion thereof shown in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, the upper portion of Figure 1 being taken on thesecticn line I--I of this figure.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the steam generator with the housing thereof sectioned on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a rear end elevation of the steam generator showing particularly the removable panels for gaining access to the steam generating sections of the generator.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of an end Water section forming one of the units of my steam generator and showing another unit (steam separating unit) connected with the upper end thereof.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the steam collecting units of my steam generator.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a steam generating unit which includes a water section.

Figure 8 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 9 is an inside elevation thereof.

Figure 10 is an end elevation of a steam separating unit of Fig. 5 detached from the end water section thereof.

Figure 11 is a side elevation of the steam separating unit, and

Figure 12 is a perspective of one of the superheater tubes of my steam generator.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numerals IE), I2 and I4 to indicate the tubular elements of an end water section of my steam generator. The element I0 is a lower manifold, I2 is an upper manifold and I4 are Vertical connecting tubes adapted to contain water up to the water level shown at 98 in Figure 5, there being steam above this line. Two of the units I-IZ-Id are provided, one for each end ofthe steam generator.

Two side units I2-I8--2-22 are also provided which together with the two end units I0-I2-I4 form a rectangular framework. The

manner of connecting these parts together will be described later after describing the various other units of the steam generator. The side units just referred to comprise lower manifolds IB, upper manifolds I8, vertical water tubes connecting them together and steam generating coils 22.

These coils as shown best in Figure 9 and wound alternately right are left hand so as to intert snugly with each other and thereby provide a balile arrangement insuring the gases of combustion flowing around all surfaces of the coils and thereby transferring heat to them with a maximum of efficiency. The various elements i0 to 22 thus far described are formed preferably of steel tubing welded together at the points of intersection, and since the tubes are small in diameter they are capable of withstanding relatively great generated pressures.

The next unit is for steam separation and includes steam separating drums 24 and two steam separating tubes 26 and 28. The .tubes 26 and 23 are varranged to form rectangles as shown at 28 in Figure 3, and the drums 24 are connected with the tube 26 by risers 50. Risers 52 also con- ..1

nect the long sides of the rectangularly arranged tube 26 with those of the tube 20, and it will be noted that and 62 are olfset with relation to each other so as to baille the now or steam and water and aid in the separation of the steam e from the water as Will hereinafter appear. Also at the ends of the rectangularly arranged tubes 26 and 28 are risers 60 and these complete the steam separating unit.

The next unit to be considered is a pair of steam collecting Ls' 30. These are arranged inside the rectangular steam separating tubes 26 and 28 and vertically about midway between them as will be obvious by an inspection of Figure 1.

The final unit in the generator is an assembly of superheater tubes 32, 34 and 35, there being two of the tubes 32 and 34 and one of the tubes 36. The tube 36 has a steam pipe 38 leading therefrom which will be described later.

Thus far I have described the various units of my steam generator without making speciiic mention of the means of connecting them'with each other` Beginning with the end units the .horizontal tubes I0 or" the end units have risers 40 and the horizontal tubes IS of the side sections have depending risers 42. The adjacent ends cf these risers are constructed so as to be of the ground-ft type capable of holding high pressure when union nuts 44 are drawn up tight around them. Obviously four of the nuts 44 and the riser combinations 40-42 are necessary.

The steam separating unit 26-28-50--52--50 is supported on the end units I0| 2--I4 by risers 54 and 56 and four union nuts 58. The upper manifold I8 of the side unit is connected to the steam separating drum 24 by risers 45 and 46, and union nuts 48.

The Ls 30 are connected to the upper steam separating tube 28 by tubes 62 and 64, and union nuts 66 along the sides, and tubes 68 and 10, and union nuts 'I2 at the ends. f

The super-heater tubes 32 are welded to the short end arms of the Ls 30 and depend therefrom. Steam collecting tubes 'I4 extend from the inside of the superheater tubes 32 adjacent the bottom thereof and out their tops to union nuts 'I8 which connect them to tubes 16 extending to the upper ends of the -superheater tubes"^34.

Steam collecting tubes similar' to the tubes i4 extend from adjacent the lower ends and then out of the upper ends of the tubes 34 as shown in Fig. 12 and by dotted lines in Fig. 2, to union nuts 84 which connect them with tubes 82 extending to the single superheater tube 36. The steam supply pipe 38 then extends from the upper end of the superheater tube 36 and has'its inner end terminating adjacent the bottom thereof as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2.

The ends of the tubes I 0 and I2 are provided with removable end plates 86 and 88. Removable end plates 00 are provided for the tubes |6 and |8, and the drums 24 have ends 92 welded thereon. The end plates 86, 88 and 90 are for inspection and cleaning purposes. One of the tubes I4 is provided with connections 94 and 96 for a water gauge glass and the connection 0d may also be used for introducing water into the steam generator by, means of a suitable pump or injector that automatically maintains the Water at the level 98 in the conventional manner.

The units of my steam generator thus far described form a complete Water containing and steam generating system of the water tube type for rapidly generating high-pressure dry steam when the assembly of units are enclosed in a suitable housing and a source of heat is provided below the steam generating coils 22 and the superheater tubes 32, 23 and 36. The end units |0|2|4 support the steam separating, steam collecting and superheater tube units so that they can be dismantled when required. The units that require most attention (the side units |6-IS-20-22) are readily removable without disturbing the other units.

I have provided a housing shown in general at |00 for the steam generator and below it a burner section |02. Within the burner section any suitable source of heat may be provided such as a gas burner |04 having the usual air mixing and gas control valves |05 and |01, and shown merely by way of illustration.

The housing I 00 is provided with an insulated Wall, the insulation being shown at |06 and a sheet metal liner therefor kat |08. This housing completely encloses the steam generator and has removable panels I|0. The panels have notches |I2 at their lower ends to engage 'cap screws II4 and openings ||6 at their upper ends to receive cap screw |I8 so that the screws II8 can be removed and the panels lifted off, the screws thereby permitting access to the unions e4 and 48. The right hand panel in Fig. 4 is shown removed. To remove the entire steam generating unit shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 for cleaning, repair or replacement, the union nuts 44 and 48 are loosened.

To `insure an efficient flow of the products of combustion, I provide baille plates |20 (see Figure 1) between the Ls 30 and the tube 26. This plate would extend along the sides, and partially at ends of the generator as shown in Fig. 2, thereby causing the gases of combustion after flowing over the coils 22 and the superheater tubes 32, 34 and 36 to ilow up between the Ls 30. The :dow then reverses over the tops of the baille plates |20 and flows down to chimneys |22, baille walls |24, being provided between the tube 26 and the chimneys to separate the space around the coils 22 and drums 24 from the chimney.l The lower ends of the baille walls |24 terminate in troughs |26 at the endsof the steam generator to carry the products of combustion laterally to the two chimneys |22.

Practical operation My steam generator is filled with water up to approximately the line 98 and as soon as the burner Ill4 commences to operate a percolating action suddenly starts the water in the coils 22 upwards, thus throwing the water against the inner walls of the coils in a violent manner which uses convection action to a high and eiiicient degree and results in rapid steam generation. The percolating action produces a mixture of steam and water that pours from the upper ends of the steam generating coils 22 into the manifold I8 from which the water drops down to the water lavel in the vertical tubes 2G. In the tubes I4 the water is merely heated and any steam that rises therefrom passes upwardly into the manifold I2.

The steam in the manifolds I8 and I2 pass upwardly through the connections 46--48-45 and 54-58-56, respectively, into the steam separating drum 24 and the steam separating tube26. The steam in the drums 24 is further heated by the products of combustion and rises through the risers 50 into the tube 26. In the tube 26 the steam is further heated and rises through the risers 52 and 50 into the steam separating tube 28.

Any moisture in these various tubes 26 and 28 and in the drums 24 flows by gravity back through the connections 52-5G, 45-48-45 and 54-58-56 into the manifolds I8 and I2 and the tubes I4 and 2t to the water lavel. It will be noted that the various risers 45, 50 and 52 and the risers 56 and 6I) are offset which prevent any direct flow of wet steam and produces a baffle effect that permits the water to be separated from the steam more readily and flow back to the water level.

Finally there is nothing but steam in the steam separating tube 28 and this steam flows through the various connections 62-66--64 and 68-12-80 to the steam collecting Ls 30 where it is further heated to dry it out to some extent,

From the Ls 3U the steam must flow down to the vlower ends of the superheater tubes 32 before flowing through the connections 14, I8 and 16 to the second bank of superheater tubes 34. Similarly the steam then passes from the lower ends of these tubes through 80, 84 and -82 to the nal superheater tube 36 from the lower end of which the steam passes with maximum dryness out through the steam supply pipe 38. During the i superheating process, it will be noted that the steam comes down to the lower ends of the tubes -32---34 and 36 where the fire is hottest and becomes successively dryer until maximum dryness is the result in the supply pipe 38.

A steam generator construction in accordance with my invention has a number of advantages as will be found apparent from the foregoing specification. No large amount of steam or water is contained in any one part of the generator at one time and the generator is so constructed with constricted connections between the various units that if any one part fails it cannot release the contents of the entire system completely but will permit only relatively slow escape of steam as distinguished from an explosion or blowing up of the usual type of boiler.

I have found that this generator can run dry for many hours, even until it becomes red or white hot yet the sudden supplying ofthe gen- Cil 'erator with water does not result in damage by explosion or otherwise. Instead steam is quicklygenerated and the generator can be lled to the normal water line and thereafter will operate in the normal manner.

Those units of the generator which line up quickest are the steam generating coils 22 and the unit that includes them can be quickly removed from the boiler and another one substituted without having the boiler out of service for more than a few minutes. In most installations this is a decided advantage and furthermore the service can be performed by a layman instead of requiring a skilled machinist for this purpose.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to Acover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A steam generator of the character disclosed comprising steam generating units, and a steam separating unit, said steam separating unit comprising a pair of drums with which the steam generating units are connected, said drums being above the steam generating units, a pair of superposed steam separating tubes arranged in rec- -1 tangular formation around the interior of the combustion chamber, and risers connecting said drums to the lower ends of said superposed steam separating tubes and connecting the lower superposed steam separating tubes to the upper one, the risers being offset in relation to each other.

2. A steam generator of the character disclosed comprising steam generating units and a steam separating unit comprising a pair of drums with which the steam generating units are connected, a steam separating tube arranged in rectangular formation around the interior of the combustion chamber, risers connecting said drums to said superposed steam separating tubes, and union connections between said steam generating units and said drums.

3. In a steam generator, two end units comprising upper and lower horizontal manifolds and vertical water tubes connecting them, two side units comprising upper and lower horizontal manifolds, vertical water tubes connecting them and steam generating coils also connecting them and inside the space outlined by said water tubes, a steam separating unit supported on each of said end units and receiving steam therefrom, said steam separator units including steam separator drums connected with said upper horizontal manifolds of said side units, steam collector Ls arranged inside the space outlined by said steam separator -units and connected therewith to receive steam therefrom, and a series of steam superheating tubes receiving steam from saidl steam collecting Ls and carrying the steam in each series to a depending position in the space in the combustion chamber outlined by said end and side units.

4. In a steam generator, two end units comprising upper and lower horizontal manifolds and vertical water tubes connecting them, two side units comprising upper and lower horizontal manifolds, vertical water tubes and steam generating coils connecting them, said steam generating coils being inside the space defined by said vertical tubes, a steam separator unit receiving steam from said end and side units, a steam collector unit arranged inside the space delined by said steam separator unit and connected therewith to receive steam therefrom, a series of steam superhcating tubes located Within the space defined by said steam collecting unit, receiving steam therefrom and carrying the steam in each series to a depending positionin the combustion chamber between said end and side units, and baie walls to confine the products of combustion in said combustion chamber'to flow upwardly within said steam collecting unit and then over the outside of said steam separating unit.

5. In a steam generator, two end units comprising upper and lower horizontal manifolds 'and vertical water tubes connecting them, two side units comprising upper and lower horizontal manifolds, vertical water tubes and steam generating coils connecting them, said vertical tubes defining a combustion chamber and said coils being located therein,` a steam 'separator unit receiving steam from said end and side units, a steam collector unit arranged inside the space defined by said steam separator unit and connected therewith to receive steam therefrom, a series of steam superheating tubes located within the space dened by said steam collecting unit, receiving steam therefrom and carrying the steam in each series to a depending position in said combustion chamber, bafe walls to confine the products of combustion in said combustion chamber to flow upwardly within said steam collecting' unit land then over the outside of said steam separating unit, and a removable panel for said housing affording access for removal of 'said steam generating, separating, collecting and superheating units connected successively together.

6.. In a steam generator, two endunits comprising upper and lower horizontal manifolds and vertical water tubes connecting them to gether, two side units comprising upper and 4 lower horizontal manifolds, vertical water tubes and steam generating coils connectingthem together, a steam separating unit supported on said end units and receiving steam therefrom, said steam separator units including steam separator drums connected with said steam generator coils, steam collector Ls arranged inside the space defined by said steam separator unit and connected therewith to receive steam therefrom, a, series of steam superheating tubes receiving steam from said steam collecting Ls and carrying the steam in each series to a depending position in the combustion chamber between said end and side units, and baille walls to conne the products of combustion in said combustion chamber to flow upwardly within said steam collecting unit and then over the outside of said steam separating unit.

CARL E. BISHOP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 403,545 Meathe May 21, 1889 448,890 Skinner Mar. 24, 1891 468,367 Smith Feb. 9, 1892 473,055 Bolton et al. Apr. 19, 1892 718,954 Smith Jan. 20, 1903 1,300,087 Nood Apr. 8, 1919 1,603,500 Winslow Oct. 19, 1926 1,686,056 Will Oct. 2, 1928 1,812,094 Hartung June 30, 1931 1,851,715 McKnight et al Mar. 29, 1932 1,873,581 Hammers Aug. A23, 1932 1,875,015 Kerr Aug. 30, 1932 v 2,000,138 Kuhner May 7, 1935 2,112,321 Wood Mar. 29, 1938 2,216,369 Jeffords Oct. 1, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 'Number Country Date 11,617 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1888 25,989 Great Britain Oct. 30, 1902 

